Heed the Mark
by akaeve
Summary: Ducky tells Jimmy a story from home.


**Heed the Mark**

_"Cauld winter was howling o'er moor and o'er mountain  
And wild was the surge o' the dark rolling sea  
When I met aboot daybreak a bonnie young lassie  
Wha asked me the road and the miles tae Dundee_

_Says I tae the lassie, I cannae weel tell ye  
The road and the distance I cannae weel gie  
But gin ye permit me tae gang a wee bittie  
I will show you the road and the miles tae Dundee,"_ Dr. Mallard sang to himself as he began to do the autopsy on one Petty Officer Francis Bevan.

"What are you singing?" Jimmy asked as he returned from a comfort break, the cold wind outside and the horizontal rain had given him a slight chill in the kidneys, "Thought it sounded like _Streets of Laredo_, but the words differ."

"Ah yes Mr Palmer, it is actually an old Scots ballad, "Road to Dundee" but yes "Streets of Laredo" is a direct derivative, both ballads using the same tune. The song just struck me as I was preparing out guest for may I say it, Post Mortem," Ducky smiled indicating to the body.

"Not at all Dr Mallard, but you must translate the Scots for me, I know that _cauld_ is cold, but a _wee bittie_ always makes me smile, it sounds slightly rude, as in, a bit on the side, sex."

"Quite Mr Palmer," as Ducky looked at Jimmy with a scowl but slightly smiling too, "No, as I was going to say," now looking down at the art work on the deceased, "I must tell Abigail about the CAHID."

"Sorry Dr Mallard, have no idea what you are talking about."

"The Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, at the University of Dundee, in Scotland. The centre is an internationally and leading department in the fields of human identification. It uses forensic anthropology, and cranio-facial reconstruction for identification," Ducky continued. "Professor Sue Black, leads the centre and she is asking persons with tattoos and piercings to send images of their body art so she can make up a database that could offer a vital new tool for forensics."

"I am still not with you," Jimmy now replied shaking his head.

"Jimmy, if you look at say the Asian tsunami, where thousands of bodies were unidentified, if you could narrow down the parameters," as Ducky squeezed his fingers together, "Then identification would be a success," he continued, "as tattoos are common all over the world, they would like people to send images of their own body art."

"I understand now. So are you suggesting that Abby sends her art work to the database? I would hate to think if something should happen to her," Jimmy added, "But Doctor do tell me more of Dundee."

"Ah Dundee, immortalised forever, by one William Topaz McGonagall. He was a poet, of sorts," as Ducky now thought of the man "A tragedian of Dundee," Ducky began waving his hands about, "He has been widely hailed as one if not the worst writers of poetry, but in Scotland hailed as a wonder. His works never rhymed but even to this day he continues to be admired. One of his greatest works was the "Tay Bridge Disaster" his opening verse being, "_Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!_

_Alas! I am very sorry to say _

_That ninety lives have been taken away_

_ On the last Sabbath day of 1879, _

_Which will be remember'd for a very long time. "_

"Fascinating Dr. Mallard, I suppose the weather was as cold, as it is outside today."

"It was, but one thing, that terrific storm, which had spread mayhem and destruction throughout central Scotland, was howling down the Tay just as the Edinburgh train was crossing the bridge. As the train reached the centre of the bridge, it suddenly collapsed….. plunging the train and its seventy-five passengers and crew into the icy waters. There were no survivors, and only forty-six bodies were ever recovered. The masonry piers that once supported the iron columns of the bridge still remain standing in the river to this day, a grim reminder."

"Wow, but what else is Dundee famous for?"

"The three J's, and oh yes, and the RRS Discovery."

"The three J's I don't understand," Jimmy continued smiling.

"Let me explain," Ducky now replied, "But let's sit and have a brew, as I continue. Dundee was a trading port. RRS Discovery if you remember was a traditional wooden three-masted ship , it was designed for Antarctic research….."

"Brings us back to CAHID research," Jimmy interrupted.

"Quite, but her first mission was carrying Scott and Shackleton, it was known as the Discovery Expedition, from this we had the whaling industries and it was discovered that jute, the rough fibre from India used to make sacking, burlap, twine and canvass, with the treatment with whale oil, a byproduct of the whaling industry, made the spinning of jute possible."

"So that's one of the J's, but please continue Dr Mallard," as Jimmy now sipped his tea.

"Jam and journalism, the city was famous for the Keillor jam factory, and of course journalism, DC Thomson is the biggest employer in the city. Mother always had to have her "People's Friend" and "My Weekly" sent over and I still subscribe to "The Scots Magazine"," Ducky continued.

"But Dr. Mallard going back to Dundee, did I not read that Abertay University was the first university in the world to offer a "computer games" degree in 1997," Jimmy now added.

"Indeed it was, and it also has research interests in many areas, one of which is forensic science."

"Fascinating Dr Mallard, but going back to the CAHID, do you think our guest will be registered on it?" Jimmy now enquired.

"That," as Ducky now stood, "I don't think so, but we had better make a start, not only is Petty Officer Bevan cold, so is our tea," as he now walked over to the deceased.

The End


End file.
